RESIDENTS who had a lucky escape after a blaze gutted houses in their street are demanding urgent safety action.

Families in Lord Street in Crewe want the road to be widened after fire engines struggled to reach the flames which ripped through the roof space of three houses.

Fire chiefs have launched an investigation into the blaze which is believed to have started in the bedroom of one of the houses during the early hours of last Tuesday morning.

A young mother and baby and 91 year-old woman had to be rescued and treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

Cars parked on both sides of the narrow street delayed firefighters.

Residents were evacuated from their homes as the heat of the fire caused windows to explode. In the chaos they had to move their cars.

After years of campaigning to get the pavements narrowed, they say highways bosses should 'wake up' to the dangers.

Spokeswoman Annie Dale-Davis, 51, said: 'I formed a petition after the blaze and 45 residents along Lord Street signed it straight away.

'It has now been handed in to county councillor Dorothy Flude who will present it to engineers at the next Highways and Transportation meeting.

'Any type of large vehicle simply can not get up and down the street.

'The council has sent us a letter saying it was stopping bin collections because the lorry had trouble getting down the street and kept hitting car wing mirrors.

'We had a fire a few years ago in an alleyway and the firefighter who came out predicted there could be problems.

'He was right. The delay could have cost lives.'

Lord Street, one of many terraced streets in Crewe, was built in 1893 - an age when parked vehicles were not a problem.

Mrs Dale-Davis, who moved there six years ago, added: 'Last week should be a wake-up call to the council. Does someone need to die before something gets done about the road?'

A Cheshire County Council spokesman said: 'Engineers are having talks with fire chiefs about last week and a report will be presented about the street at the next Highways and Transportation Local Joint Committee on July 10.'